The skies overhead all week at the hotel hosting the Wales rugby team have aptly encapsulated the mood of the nation now at odds with a team that until a few months ago could do no wrong.

The deluge of rain that has fallen this week has turned the M4 that will take New Zealand to London on the last leg of their European tour into a miniature River Taff.

And the danger is that prior to that voyage a big defeat is looming for Wales against the All Blacks, with the potential to wash away all the good work done by Warren Gatland during his tenure since 2007, which has included two Grand Slams and a World Cup semi-final.

Gatland’s players have spoken of Twitter abuse from the public following the defeat to Samoa, a week after another loss to Argentina. But there is hope that Gatland can restore Welsh pride against a touring side aiming to stretch its unbeaten run to 20 matches following the return of their big guns.

Gatland is well aware of the expectation from him and the positive effect he might bring. On his return to the camp from his duties as British and Irish Lions boss this week, he had told his team of coaches: “The Messiah’s back”, a light-hearted remark that was given a four-letter rebuke by one of his coaches.

The New Zealander, keen to make his mark against his countryman after missing Wales’ last five matches, all of which have ended in defeat, knows that he alone cannot turn things around but his comment has helped to lighten the mood within a camp which he admitted was low on confidence.

“The players are well aware that some of their form hasn’t been as strong as it possibly could be,” said Gatland. “There’s a little confidence issue with one or two.

“We have set pretty high standards in the last 12 months. We perform to a certain level and know that we haven’t done that.

“It’s important we get that right. Every team goes through a few ups and downs. Some are dealing for the first time with criticism from outside and haven’t experienced that before. It’s quite personal for some of them and you’ve got to learn to cope with that.”

Gatland is still hobbling around but infinitely more mobile than he has been after breaking both heels following a window-cleaning accident in April. Now his target is to get his 22-strong match-day squad back on its feet.

At the start of the summer, Wales had an outside chance of becoming one of the four seeded teams for the 2015 World Cup, after which Gatland’s contract expires, but are now languishing in eighth place in the global game.

Still, he has been oozing confidence since his return and talked about the odd bounce of a ball being the difference between Wales turning around its collective fortunes.

“Previously the form has been excellent — we need to recapture that,” he said, dismissing in the process that Wales had suffered some sort of World Cup hangover. The experiences in New Zealand were absolutely fantastic and the players came away from that incredibly. They enjoyed those experiences. The players still talk about that.”

Wales against New Zealand had looked like being the likely World Cup final only for the Welsh to come unstuck against France.

On Saturday Wales get their chance to make amends for just coming up short in New Zealand and for their dismal autumn.

Gatland said: “It’s nearly 60 years since Wales beat the All Blacks. I’ve got people saying they’d like Wales to beat the All Blacks at some point in their lifetime. They’re definitely the best team in the world and one of the best teams the All Blacks have ever produced. We aren’t under any illusions.”